


A Red Nightmare

by oofmilk



Category: Hoodwinked
Genre: And I’m not sorry, I recently got really into Hoodwinked, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-17
Updated: 2017-12-17
Packaged: 2019-02-16 07:39:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13049529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oofmilk/pseuds/oofmilk
Summary: The nightmare was a burden on her life. A constant reminder of what had happened.





	A Red Nightmare

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be a one shot. I hope you enjoy! :)

Two-year-old Red Puckett sat in the picnic grove with her mother and father. It was nighttime, and the moon and stars shining overhead bathed the area in silver light.

Mrs. Puckett swaddled her daughter in her red cloak to keep her warm. The cloak was a family heirloom of sorts. Mrs. Puckett had received the cloak from her mother, whom got it from her mother, and so on and so forth until the first Puckett. The cloak had been mended over the years, but it still held its special family touch.

”Darling, we should take Red home soon,” Mr. Puckett said. “She’ll be tired soon.”

Both parents, however, knew that Red was an endless ball of energy who didn’t sleep for very long. They were just using her as an excuse to go home themselves. 

Mr. Puckett gathered their now empty picnic basket and stood beside his wife. They looked at the moon once more before walking towards the village.

In the underbrush, a wolf stalked its prey silently. Two meaty humans and a puny baby. What the wolf would do with the baby was undecided in the moment, but it knew it wouldn’t end well.

The wolf threw itself out into the clearing, running towards the family. Mr. Puckett turned his head and let out a yell.

The wolf had been spotted.

Mr. Puckett pushed his wife and gave her the picnic basket, shouting about using it to defend herself.

Red started crying as her mother bolted across the field. She sensed her mother’s fear and wondered where her father was.

Red looked over her mother’s shoulder and saw the wolf tearing her father to shreds. His legs were nothing but bone, and his arms were off to the side.

”DA!” the toddler cried, reaching her hands out.

Mrs. Puckett spared a glance over her shoulder and screamed, drawing the wolf’s attention. It sprinted after her, leaving Mr. Puckett’s corpse behind.

In an effort to save her child, Mrs. Puckett tucked Red into the picnic basket, hiding her beloved daughter in a bush. She ran away from the bush so the wolf wouldn’t see Red.

Red wriggled out of the cloak and pulled herself into a sitting position in the basket. She saw the Wolf tackle her mother to the ground. In an instant, blood was the only thing visible in the mass of the two figures.

Red cried harder as she saw her mother’s life dwindle before her. She reached her short arms out and cried “MAMA” before resorting to quivering inside the basket.

The wolf stalked off into the forest once it was done, deciding not to waste its energy on Red.

Red sat upright quickly, grabbing her arms, tears streaming down her face. It was just a nightmare.

”Mom?” Red called out quietly.

No reply.

 _Still dead_ , Red thought bitterly.

The morning after her parents were murdered, Red was found by an animal from the village. She was quickly rushed to her grandmother’s house. It was the first time she had ridden the cable car.

”I’m okay, I’m okay,” Red whispered to herself. “That wolf can’t hurt me anymore.”

Red willed herself to get out of bed and call her grandmother. A long time ago, Red had promised her grandmother to call every time the nightmare happened.

The phone rang only once before Granny picked up. Granny was one of only two Pucketts that was a light sleeper.

”Red, dear, it’s late. What are you doing up?” Granny asked.

Red forced herself to breath before responding. “Granny, I... I had the nightmare again,” Red said.

”Oh, honey...” Granny said. She missed her daughter dearly, but she could never imagine what it was like for Red to actually be there. “I’m so sorry...”

”It’s fine, Granny,” Red lied. “I’ll be okay.”

”Red...” Granny said softly. However, she didn’t push the matter. “Please try to get some sleep, dear. Goodnight.”

”Goodnight,” Red replied, hanging up the phone and crawling back into her bed. 

She stared up into her ceiling as she waited to fall asleep, silent tears escaping her eyes.


End file.
